Select the word from the given options that is most similar to the meaning of the underlined word.
We face the arduous days that lie before us in the warm courage of national unity.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → difficult
- Arduous means very hard and needing great effort; it comes from the Latin "arduus" (steep). The speaker calls the days ahead arduous: hard days that will need courage and national unity.
Example: Climbing to the hill temple was an arduous journey. - Difficult means hard to do or to deal with. Both words describe what is hard, so difficult is the synonym among the options (arduous is the stronger word).
Example: The last question in the paper was very difficult.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: promising — Incorrect. Promising means showing signs of future success; it says nothing about hardship or effort.
Example: She is a promising young athlete.
Option 2: hopeful — Incorrect. Hopeful means feeling or giving hope; it describes a mood, not how hard something is.
Example: The doctors are hopeful about his recovery.
Option 4: smooth — Incorrect. Smooth, used of a task or journey, means easy and free from problems; it is nearly the opposite of arduous.
Example: The new highway made the journey smooth.
| Synonyms (Arduous) | Antonyms (Arduous) |
|---|---|
| difficult | easy |
| strenuous | effortless |
| laborious | simple |
| gruelling | light |
The following words have also been asked in other CUET (UG) English papers:
| Word | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| arduous | – | 21-05 S2 23-05 S2 27-05 S1 | 29-05 S1 | – | 18-08 S1 |